Job Description:

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND PROCUREMENT OFFICER

Location: Manchester

Reporting to: Head of Finance

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Purpose of Role

To deliver an efficient, accurate and well-controlled purchase-to-pay service for the organisation, combining responsibility for the Accounts Payable function with the coordination of procurement and purchasing activity. The postholder will ensure that goods and services are sourced compliantly and achieve value for money, and that supplier invoices and payments are processed accurately, on time and in line with the organisation’s financial regulations and controls.

The role will act as the first point of contact for purchasing and supplier payment matters, working closely with budget holders, internal departments, suppliers and the wider Finance Team to maintain accurate financial records, strong supplier relationships and a high level of service to stakeholders.

Main Responsibilities

Procurement and Purchasing

• Act as the first point of contact for purchasing queries, advising budget holders on the organisation’s procurement policy, financial regulations and approval thresholds.
• Review and process purchase requisitions and raise purchase orders on the finance system, ensuring they are appropriately authorised, within budget and correctly coded before orders are placed.
• Obtain and evaluate quotations in line with procurement thresholds, comparing price, quality, delivery and service to support value-for-money purchasing decisions.
• Support tender exercises for higher-value purchases, including helping to prepare specifications and tender documents, issuing requests for quotation, coordinating evaluations and keeping a clear record of the process.
• Carry out due diligence on new suppliers before approval, including checks on financial standing, insurance, data protection and modern slavery compliance as appropriate.
• Maintain the approved supplier list and a register of contracts, monitoring contract end and renewal dates and alerting budget holders in good time.
• Monitor supplier performance and service levels, working with budget holders to address delivery, quality or pricing issues and to resolve disputes.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate spend, make use of sector purchasing frameworks where appropriate, and negotiate improved pricing and terms with suppliers.
• Produce regular spend analysis and procurement reports for the Head of Finance, highlighting savings achieved, off-contract spend and any non-compliance with policy.

Accounts Payable

• Process supplier invoices accurately and efficiently, ensuring they are appropriately authorised, coded and posted to the accounting system.
• Match invoices against purchase orders, goods received records, contracts and supporting documentation, resolving discrepancies with suppliers and budget holders.
• Ensure invoices are processed in accordance with the organisation’s financial policies, procedures and approval controls.
• Respond promptly and professionally to supplier queries, investigating and resolving issues relating to orders, invoices, payments and account balances.
• Reconcile supplier statements regularly and investigate and resolve outstanding or disputed items.
• Prepare and process regular supplier payment runs, ensuring payments are accurate, properly approved and made within agreed payment terms.
• Maintain accurate supplier records, including setting up new suppliers and updating existing supplier details, with independent verification of any change to bank details to prevent fraud.
• Monitor outstanding invoices and aged creditors, ensuring queries and aged items are followed up and resolved promptly.

Finance, Controls and Compliance

• Assist with month-end and year-end finance activities, including creditor reconciliations, accruals, commitments and reporting as required.
• Ensure all purchasing and payment transactions are supported by appropriate documentation and maintain a clear audit trail.
• Operate within appropriate segregation of duties between ordering, approval, receipting and payment, and declare and escalate any potential conflicts of interest.
• Assist with responding to internal and external audit queries relating to procurement and Accounts Payable.
• Help to keep procurement and purchase-to-pay procedures, guidance and templates up to date, and support budget holders through guidance and training.
• Identify opportunities to improve purchase-to-pay processes, efficiency and controls, including better use of finance system functionality.
• Maintain confidentiality when dealing with financial, supplier and commercially sensitive tender information.
• Take ownership of professional development and actively seek opportunities to develop knowledge and skills relevant to the role.

Scope of Role

• Develop a good understanding of the organisation’s financial regulations, procurement policy, purchasing processes and the wider education environment, so that expenditure is compliant, represents value for money, and is accurately recorded and appropriately authorised.
• Use initiative and sound judgement when reviewing purchase requests, evaluating quotations, coding expenditure and resolving supplier queries, escalating matters to the Head of Finance or an appropriate senior colleague where necessary.
• Work within established financial controls and delegated authorities, ensuring compliance with relevant organisational policies and procedures.
• Build effective working relationships with internal budget holders and external suppliers, balancing a responsive service with compliance and value for money.